Dhaka – One of the key suspects of Bangladesh’s café attack was killed in an anti-militant raid by security forces in Dhaka on Friday, officials said.

Police found the body of Nurul Islam Marzan, a commander of banned Islamist outfit Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), and one of his associates after the pre-dawn raid in Rayerbazar neighbourhood, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said.

Marzan had been wanted by police since the attack on Holey Artisan Bakery in Dhaka’s Gulshan diplomatic area in July, said Monirul Islam, head of counterterrorism unit of police.

“He (Marzan) is one of the masterminds of the café attack,” the counterterrorism officer added.

The other suspect killed in the raid was identified as Saddam Hossain. He was also a leader of the JMB’s northern command.

The terrorists killed nine Italians, seven Japanese, one Indian, a Bangladeshi-born US citizen and two Bangladeshi nationals at the restaurant on July 1, 2016.

Five militants, a chef believed to be an associate of the attackers and two policemen were killed when army commandos stormed the cafe the following morning.

The Islamic State militant group claimed the attack, but the Bangladeshi government said home-grown terrorists carried it out.

Police have killed more than 40 suspected militants, including a Bangladesh-origin Canadian citizen, in the last six months as part of counterterrorism raids launched in response to the cafe attack.

Earlier, Monirul Islam said the Marzan uploaded picture of the cafe raid in his Facebook page using an application. The clue was found militant’s mobile phone, he said.